What You Can Learn from a Seven Year Old

Yesterday I had the opportunity to ski with six adorable, tiny seven-year-old girls. When the group gathered at the base of the mountain, I was sure I was in for a day of groomers, crashes and waiting around.

Wrong.

These little seven year olds ripped it up and in the process taught me so much.


1. Don't take yourself so seriously. 

Duh, we all know this. But, there's nothing out there that will remind you of this like a seven year old.

Photo by Julie Weinberger (C) 2014

2. Girls rule. 

Being short, being blonde or being a chick just don't seem to matter to these little ladies... if a boy can do it, a girl can do it. The girls kept reminding me every time I gave them a high five, that girls kick ass.  That if their older brother can do Buffalo Bowl, they sure as hell can do it... if their older brother can take the Tram to Rendezvous Bowl, they can, too. It's nice to be reminded that being a girl in this day and age doesn't hold you back, doesn't make you weaker and most definitely doesn't keep you from tearing it up.

"Girl Power" Photo by Julie Weinberger (C) 2014

3. Just Dance it Out

After four and a half hours of skiing, you can imagine how tired all of us were as the day came to a close. Some of the girls got grumpy, they started falling and started to get emotional. Earlier on in the day, in an effort to teach them how to keep their weight forward, another coach and I told the girls to imagine they had a bug in the front of their boots that needed to be squished. It slowly became the "Squish the Bug Dance" that we did... sometimes dancing and being silly just perks you right back up. The dance put us in such a good mood that even though the rest of the groups were heading back to the base, we did another lap as fast as we could. Dancing the whole way down.

4. Eat Some Damn Carbs... and Share Them With Your Friends

Wow, I miss being a kid. Those fast metabolisms and that carefree attitude towards calories. I know it's not healthy ALL the time, but if you're skiing like a maniac, I think it's perfectly acceptable to eat some bread... and drink some hot chocolate... and maybe a Twix bar or two. Tear open a bag of Doritos and eat them so quickly that even your teeth are colored orange. Then offer your friends a bite!

5. Whatever you're faced with, you can handle it. Like taking the Tram to the top... or getting on a chairlift alone, or schleping all your own gear.

Instead of saying, "I can't do it" when I suggested taking Thunder or the Tram, the girls all said, "Yes! We can totally do it." What a breath of fresh air, hearing little seven year old girls having such confidence. It reminded me how important activities that scare you can be for your self esteem. Sometimes you have to feel the fear, and go ahead and do it anyway!

Squish the Bug! Photo by Julie Weinberger (C) 2014

6. There's no crying in baseball skiing.

Even after the long day and the crashes here and there, the girls never broke down. They rallied. And that's awesome.

7. Hugs and more hugs go a long way.

When we all got to the base of the mountain to meet up with their parents... the girls all hugged me. And then hugged me again. And then unbuckled my boots for me... and held my hand. It means so much to know that I inspired them, motivated them and got them back home in one piece (yeah, I'm gloating). It was all evident in a simple hug.


Other Posts You Should Read:

1. Reliving Childhood in a Ski Town
2. 30 Things You Should Do Before Turning 30